Abstract
This collection encompasses two Oceanic languages of Vanuatu – North Ambrym and Fanbyak. Both languages are spoken in the northern part of Ambrym Island in Central Vanuatu. They are part of the Central Vanuatu Linkage, belonging to the Southern Oceanic Linkage of Oceanic. North Ambrym is the larger of the two languages with around 4000 – 4500 speakers in total, making it one of the larger languages of Vanuatu. Throughout its history North Ambrym has been known as Olal, Magam, Ranon (the names of three villages in the area), Rral ‘language, word, message’ and tolongken ‘our voice’. North Ambrym has two major dialects, Ngeli and Ngeye deriving form the presentational demonstratives meaning ‘this is’. Ngeli is spoken from the southermost villages of Melto, Lonoror and Ranvetlam, up around the coast through Ranon, Fonaa to Magam, and including some of the inland villages. East from Magam is Olal, the start of the Ngeye dialect, which is spoken along the coast through Parereu, Willit and around the coast to Konkon, and including some of the inland villages. Fanbyak (originally spelt Fanbak) is one of the smaller languages of Vanuatu, with roughly 130 speakers. Fanbyak was originally spoken in the village of Fanbyak on the eastern side of northern Ambrym. Fanbyak and its surrounding villages was located between Konkon, the last village where North Ambrym is spoken, and Endu, the first village where Vatlongos is spoken in south east Ambrym. Fanbyak has also been known as Orkon, the name of another nearby village. Orkon was also different dialect, which has now been lost. Fanbyak and its surrounds are no longer inhabited and today the speech community is highly fragmented and split between Faramsu and Ranvetlam, on the south westerly part of northern Ambrym, and Konkon, on the easterly side of the north. Fanbyak is thus surrounded by speakers of North Ambrym.